An Anthology: 365 Readings

by George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis

C. S. Lewis wrote of George MacDonald: "I know hardly any other writer who seems to be closer, or more continually close, to the Spirit of Christ Himself." Lewis also claimed that everything he wrote was influenced by this Scottish pastor and novelist who lived a century before Lewis. This book serves as an act of appreciation, with Lewis gathering 365 of the best and most profound lines from his mentor as well as providing a preface detailing the impact MacDonald had on Lewis's own literary and spiritual career. Ranging from "Inexorable Love" to "God at the Door," these words will instruct and uplift, like they did for C.S. Lewis himself.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion, Biography, Classics

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet and Christian Congregational minister. He became a pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow-writer Lewis Carroll. In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works of Christian theology, including several collections of sermons.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great. For my fellow Lewis enthusiasts it's even better.
It's like loving a great man and then having him introduce you to his father. And you hear all the phrases and catch all the drifts and think: so that's where it came from.

[Barnabas Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

CS Lewis collected his favorite quotes and selections from MacDonald and it’s almost as if Lewis knew something about writing and thinking deeply about faith and life. Brilliance and wonder and insight and provocation throughout.

[David Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing like reading a book about your favorite author, written by your second-favorite author! :)

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some really great insights here. Finished again September 2018.

[David Jack]

Lewis's anthology (including his introduction to it) is an excellent and-relatively speaking-an easy gateway to the works of the man he called his "master." My only quibble with it is that it can leave the uninitiated with the quite erroneous impression that he loved MacDonald's sermons and fantasies, but didn't care for the novels. He doesn't actually SAY this, and a careful reading shows that he is only critical (wrongly so in my opinion, but let that pass) of MacDonald's ability, or at least of his consistent performance, as a literary technician. Yes, Lewis placed MacDonald's fantasies, along with his Unspoken Sermons and his Diary of an Old Soul above his realistic works: but the latter he still devoured with avidity. So far was he from dismissing them, that he said, upon the publication of the Anthology

"I am glad you agree with me about the value of MacDonald. I had hoped my Anthology might lead to a reprinting of some of his books, but it has not yet done so. Yet I keep on getting letters from people who have found him as helpful as you and I do: the last, oddly enough, was a Jesuit!" (letter to J S Goodridge, April 26th 1949.)

Given that what people have found MOST helpful over the years, is MacDonald's realistic fiction, and the fact that this comprises the majority of what MacDonald wrote, it's pretty clear that he was thinking of the realistic novels as well as the fantasies when he wrote this, if indeed he was not referring to them exclusively.

If anyone would like to check these novels out for themselves, I'm trying to do my own little bit to fulfil Lewis's wishes (a mere 70 odd years after he expressed them, but better late than never!), as I've been translating and independently re-publishing his Scottish novels. Six of them are now available for the first time in unabridged, translated (people have historically found the broad Scots an insuperable barrier) and illustrated form...including the most popular of them, and one of Lewis's own favourites, Sir Gibbie.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I really enjoyed reading through this anthology of MacDonald quotes, compiled by C.S. Lewis. It definitely gives you an insight into how MacDonald influenced and inspired Lewis.

I took off half a star because some of the quotes don't quite make sense without the context, so it was a little difficult to follow the train of thought for some of them. Most of the quotes are clear though. It was just a few of them that didn't quite make sense.

I read through one or two of the quotes each day along with my daily Bible reading, and really liked taking my time to mull over each one and do a little pondering over these spiritual truths. This is not a book to be read all at once. It takes time to digest each thought.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christ is the way out, and the way in: the way from slavery into liberty.

C.S. Lewis's introduction is wonderful. I always assumed this was a biography of MacDonald; instead it is a compilation of quotes from him.

I liked reading this, but I am convinced I would enjoy it more if I had previously read the sources and had their context in mind as I read.

[Abby Litrenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent anthology of excerpts from MacDonald. Makes me want to read more!

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two 5-star ratings from me in one week! That is almost unheard of! But this one deserves it. This was my daily read for 2017 and I just wrapped it up and it was all that I hoped and I will be referring back to it over and over again. C.S. Lewis obviously loved MacDonald and chose a powerful anthology. If you want a taste of MacDonald, you must get your hands on this one, but, beware, it is MEATY stuff and you cannot fly through it. Obviously I cannot offer up all of my favourite quotes on this one, but I will offer up the one that is going to carry over and be my motivational quote for 2018.

“The man who for consciousness of well-being depends upon anything but life, the life essential, is a slave; he hangs on what is less than himself…Things are given us – this body, first of things – that through them we may be trained both to independence and true possession of them. We must possess them; they must not possess us. Their use is to mediate – as shapes and manifestations in lower kind of the things that are unseen, that is, in themselves unseeable, the things that belong, not to the world of speech but the world of silence, not to the world of showing, but the world of being, the world that cannot be shaken, and must remain. These things unseen take the form in the things of time and space – not that they may exist, for they exist in and from eternal Godhead, but that their being may be known to those in training for the eternal; these things unseen the sons and daughters of God must possess. But instead of reaching out after them, they grasp at their forms, regard the things seen as the things to be possessed, fall in love with the bodies instead of the souls of them.”

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Lewis did something very difficult--he found bite-sized pieces of wisdom among George MacDonald's many, many, writings (both fiction and non-fiction). The only thing keeping me from giving this book a higher rating is that MacDonald's writings are so beautiful and full of meaning when read in their entirety that you lose much of this when you pull out paragraph-sized quotes. However, this book serves as an easy introduction to MacDonald and is great for reading in short sittings.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A "reader" of MacDonald thoughts extracted from the full range of his writings. 365 selections lend themselves to a daily round of reading and reflection. MacDonald, a nineteenth century Scot, expresses ideas which would be at home among contemporary Christian thinkers.

C. S. Lewis, who edited this collection, admitted to MacDonald's premier role in Lewis' conversion to Christianity.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.S Lewis has selected MacDonald's most poignant passages and put them all together in a delightful 365 Day Readings format. Full of extraordinary treasures! Each day's reading is a perfect size to "chew" and meditate on. They really get you thinking! You can tell that MacDonald was definitely a man "after God's own heart" and be assured that his writings will encourage, inspire and motivate you to grow closer to Christ. (These passages were mainly taken from his book "Unspoken Sermons" though quite a few of his other books were used as well)

[Stan Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Its like Proverbs or Penses for the late 19th century. Very well selected by CS Lewis from the works of George MacDonald.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently, HarperOne has re-released nine of C.S. Lewis' classic works with all new covers, deckle-edged pages, and french flaps! The titles include The Abolition of Man, A Grief Observed, The Great Divorce, Mere Christianity, Miracles, The Screwtape Letters, The Problem of Pain, George MacDonald, The Weight of Glory. I will be reviewing two of these works today and feature others throughout the coming months on my blog. Without further ado, let's get to the reviews!

I have been reading a lot of George MacDonald's works lately, due to his influence on Lewis, Tolkien, and other members of the Inklings. Therefore, when I found out about Lewis' work George MacDonald, I knew I had to read it. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was expecting a biography of sorts. Instead, it is a selection of 365 "pearls of wisdom" from MacDonald himself. In a way you could view it as a George MacDonald daily devotional. The book is well under 200 pages, so each quote is only a few lines to half a page at most. Thankfully there is an index which lists all the sources for each quote, so if you are so inclined to read the full work, you know exactly where to find it. This is a major plus. Here is one of the pearls, entitled "Spiritual Murder."

"It may be an infinitely less evil to murder a man than to refuse to forgive him. The former may be the act of a passion; the latter is the heart's choice. It is a spiritual murder, the worst, to hate, to brood over the feeling that excludes, that, in our microcosm, kills the image, the idea of the hated."

C.S. Lewis' preface provided a nice glimpse from an outsider and provided a biography recommendation on George MacDonald. Overall, this book is the perfect book to provide a glimpse of MacDonald and whet your appetite and encourage you to read more of his works. I read through this book very quickly, which you can do too, but with 365 readings, you can take about one minute a day and read through it in a year.

[Randal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really thought that I would like this book, as I am a big fan of both MacDonald and Lewis. I have read much of their fiction and nonfiction, and I expected to enjoy this anthology of quotes.

However, many of the quotes are difficult to understand outside of context, or at least would work better within context. I was also disappointed that Lewis did not select any quotes from "The Hope of the Gospel," a MacDonald book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

My advice is if you are a fan of George MacDonald, read the original books from which these quotes are drawn. Especially read "Phantastes," "Lilith," and the Princess and Curdie books, if you enjoy fantasy fiction.

[Christine Norvell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lewis's Preface was invaluable. The MacDonald excerpts were interesting for two reasons: life context for MacDonald and life context for Lewis. It made me always think about why Lewis chose the pieces he did in the 1940s. I didn't learn much beyond those observances.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never quoted, copied out, or highlighted so much of a single book before. A marvelous, profound collection.

[Silviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I know why I love C. S. lewis' works. Even he admits that he has never written something without Macdonald's influence. I can definitely see why.
In regards to the book, it has done me a lot of good. It's not something you read once and just move on. It's rather something that you need to go back to over and over. It's perennial wisdom.
In regards to universalism: if it doesn't frighten you, instill in you the fear of God, you haven't been paying attention. Too many protestants think that the hell proposed by Jonathan Edwards is scary. They haven't read Macdonald, then.

[A.R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know what I was getting into when I started this book, but after understanding it I ended up very much enjoying it.

[Jeremy Hendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.S. Lewis introduces you to MacDonald, and then proceeds to share his favorite MacDonald quotes with you. It’s thought provoking and I often put the book aside to chew on what I had just read. It’s sweet to read the quotes and tangibly see the influence MacDonald had on Lewis and his writing.

[Lydia Woodbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of gold nuggets in these short readings/preachings. George Macdonald is so interesting to read!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some gems in here, but I found the real value was the desire that it inspired to read MacDonald’s works and engage in his wisdom in context.

[Anthony Aviles · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10
I read this book in the wrong way and you should not make the same mistake I did! I read it in one day on a drive across the country. However, it is an anthology of MacDonald's writing, compiled into 365 short excerpts and each one is most likely to be read once a day. George MacDonald, Scotland's famous storyteller, is someone that C.S. Lewis highly admires both for his fantastical stories and also for his writings on the Christian faith. This book is mainly a collection of the latter of which I'm slightly disappointed. There were a few interesting quotes here and there, and he seemed to be a keen theologian. I think my few squabbles with the book were as follows: 1) some quotes were woefully short, like one or two sentences. 2) The writings were primarily from MacDonald's religious reflections. I would like to have seen a wider variety of MacDonald's work to see how his religious beliefs influenced his storytelling. Overall, the book was alright, but not necessarily interesting or worthy of being read once a day for a year because I believe there are other books out there that would be more edifying.

[Winnie Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was sweet: CS Lewis’s commonplace book of George MacDonald. It was my first taste of MacDonald, and very enjoyable. He can be dense and Victorian, but I loved detecting (in his ideas and in his more lucid prose) his profound influence on CS Lewis. This felt like listening to Haydn for the first time after decades of Mozart.

[Jordan Magnuson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice anthology... almost every quote is worth chewing on for at least a day.

[John Rimmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like a commonplace book full of 365 of Lewis' favorite insights from his master. Many of them are brilliant (I mean that in its fullest sense). All of them are worth hearing. One of my favorites was his discussion of the white stone given to overcomers by Christ, upon which is written a new name that no one knows except the giver and the recipient. I won't seek to do it insult by trying to repeat it here, but only to say that it was one of the most encouraging things I've read in a long time. The introduction to the book is encouraging as well, learning what made MacDonald the man he became to so many. He was a man fired from his pulpit early in life, who spent much of the rest of it doing odd jobs to support his family, one of which I assume to be writing. Lewis' emphasis on MacDonald's relationship with his father, and the impact that had on his understanding of the relationship between the heavenly Father and Son, is wonderful. I listened through this work three or four times while working, being encouraged as my attention coincided. It was an edifying several days. This is a book that I'll come back to, as a marked oasis during dry time.

[Hamster · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book C. S. Lewis presents 365 quotes pulled from George MacDonald's many, many books. My mileage varied from quote to quote. Some are absolutely brilliant and helped to resolve some of my own questions and confusions about my faith. Some seemed totally pointless and I had no clue why Lewis chose them. Most were like the key points from a sermon - true things that are worth remembering but don't make for the most fascinating reading.

Easily the best part of this book was Lewis's introduction. Of course he spends most of it explaining who MacDonald was and the structure of this book. More interesting was when he discussed MacDonald's importance to him. Most interesting of all was when Lewis went on a tangent about the nature of myth, with some absolutely fascinating insights.

I don't regret reading this - it's good for what it is, but what it is isn't something I can sing the praises of.

[Caleb Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has had such a profound effect on me. I will return to these pages over and over again for the rest of my days.

“Thy hand be on the latch to open the door at His first
knock. Shouldst thou open the door and not see Him,
do not say He did not knock, but understand that He is
there, and wants thee to go out to Him. It may be He
has something for thee to do for Him Go and do it,
and perhaps thou wilt return with a new prayer, to find a new window in thy soul”

😭

“My prayers, my God, flow from what I am not;
I think thy answers make me what I am.
Like weary waves thought follows upon thought,
But the still depth beneath is all thine own,
And there thou mov'st in paths to us unknown.
Out of strange strife thy peace is strangely wrought;
If the lion in us pray -thou answerest the lamb.”

[Dayton Rumbold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand C.S. Lewis slightly better. The structure of the book was difficult for me to internalize. It is a bunch of excerpts from George MacDonald's writings. This book is the place to survey the rest of George MacDonald's works. Or if there is a topic you are interested in- you could pick it up and flip to that section.

To be fair I flew through this book which is probably not the suggested way to consume. The quotes in this book would be good for starting a spiritual conversation with a friend on any topic.

[William Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful book full of truth (both comforting and convicting). The only reason I am not giving this a 5/5 is because some of the excerpts are hard to interpret without the narrative structure surrounding it as context (some parts are taken from MacDonald's fiction writings - what was from Lilith I could understand, but the rest were hit or miss). His writings on prayer, purifying fire, and holy rest were particularly moving for me. I would definitely recommend to any Christian or anyone interested in the thematic inspiration that Lewis brought into many of his novels.